Starting at the UK’s most southwestward point, Land's End in Cornwall, our brewers Joshua, David & their friend Mike took on the UK’s greatest long-distance cycling challenge, ending 9 days and over 900 miles later at John O’Groats in the north east of Scotland.

We decided to kit out this intrepid three-man crew in our brand new Drygate cycling jerseys and caps, partly as a form of shameless self-promotion but also to help the lads in their battle with distance and the British weather!

Drygate Cycling Gear

DAY 1
…and they’re off!

Dave, Joshua and Mike stared down the long day ahead of them, with nearly 117 miles to cover, taking a route that let them wind their way through Penzance, Newquay and Bodmin, ending at Okehampton, the first stop on the route.

The ride began with some of the toughest climbs of the whole route, facing steep inclines and fast descents. Effort begets reward however, with our intrepid trio treated to the best coastal views Cornwall has to offer. Unfortunately they forgot to take any photos of said coastal views, so here's a picture of Joshua doing... something...

 
In order to see themselves through the early stages of their journey, head brewer Dave reported back to us that; “The boys have stocked up on fuel-efficient fodder: over priced egg rolls and local ale”. Further updates let us know that, to David’s simultaneous relief and chagrin, Scottish notes are in fact accepted as legal tender hassle-free!

Asked to supply some basic information on their riding styles for our blog, we received the following communique:

"Here are our vital stats as a sweetener and to help with predictions of who’s going to freak out first on the journey ahead, some inspiration for this will be taken from the Crash Bandicoot Racing system of ability." - David Stark

DAY 2
Okehampton to Bristol

Over 100 miles through the beautiful, rolling Devonshire & Somerset countryside, from Okehampton to Bristol, passing thatched rooves and the Mendip hills, where morale was boosted by the team reaching their destination without anyone suffering coronary distress!




Day 3
Bristol to Clun. Over 300 miles from Land’s End.

After the intensity of Day 1 and the relaxed roll of Day 2, the team were hit with the 2nd hottest day in recorded history. Although the weather made the going brutal, the roads were forgiving and the route luckily lacked a “disgusting amount of climing” – Dave.

Before they set of, a photo of Joshua was snapped near that bridge designed by that man then breakfast was sourced costing roughly 35% of average Glaswegian rent.   

Arriving in Clun, the boys drank local ale from the Whitehouse Inn brewed by Kaz at Clun Brewery, receiving a unprecedented 7.3/10 from David, Joshua and Mike!

Day 4
From Clun to Ormskirk

 The reality of the journey settling in, with 30 miles through Liverpool and Manchester labelled a “nightmare” by the team, we’ve been sent a status update on the three measures most important to long-distance cyclists – physical state, mental state and bottom degradation:

Josh:
Physical - 5/10
Mental - 7.2/10
Bum - 5/10 but stable

Mike:
Physical - 7/10
Mental - 6/10
Bum - 7/10

Dave:
Physical - 9/10
Mental - 2/10
Bum - 6/10

Coleen Rooney’s house may have been spotted on the way to Ormskirk, but the lads were too weak to stop and confirm.

Day 5
Ormskirk to Penrith

Visibility was low today due to torrential rain drowing our intrepid cyclists on the road from Omskirk to Penrith. A “grim lunch” was consumed in Lancaster (we shan’t name the café – Editor), a tank was spotted (!) and elevation was again gained on the climb through Shap, an “enjoyable end to the day” followed by a run downhill, pursued by hailstones! 

Day 6
HUD THE BIKES, WE’RE BACK IN SCOTLAND! 

Covering 120 miles from Penrith to Glasgow, we receiving the following communique from the team: “…honestly there's not much to say other than we got a McDonald's breakfast (high point) then made hay along the M74 for hours on end (low point)”.
Waving hello to a fellow Glasgow Nightingale member (HI CHRIS!) the boys were sheltered below our Seven Peaks on their return to Glasgow, with more local ale enjoyed before the final three day stretch.

Day 7
Glasgow to Fort William

         

Greeting in the morning by the finest Glasgow weather (“the pishing rain” – David), the lads stopped off for some #hilarious #content with Oor Wullie, before heading up by Loch Lomond and through Glencoe, providing our team with some lovely scenery before their arrival at Fort William, staying in a “stuffy, crowded” hostel and pioneering a “new technique for endurance recovery: not sleeping, at all”.

Day8
Fort William to Alness

With the end nearly in sight our boys will travel along Lochs Lochy & Ness until they reach Alness in the North East, now over 700 miles from their start point.

From Fort William to Alness, this was perhaps the quietest day of the journey, with highlights including “ice cream, two prints of Guinness, the Alness locals (scary), the lovely weather and lack of tears/metal breakdowns”.

Day 9
THE FINAL STRETCH!

Leaving Alness for the big push to the finish in the in horrendous rain, moral was again low, with David, Joshua and Mike understandable exhausted and not wanting to “ride stupid bikes anymore” – David.

A stop in Tain provided a highland pick-me-up in the form of white morning rolls, dipped in icing and filled with cream. An accident on the A9 forced a further 20 miles onto the journey, with our intrepid riders stuck behind a police block for 5 hours before the final stretch to John O’Groats, arriving at around 8pm. Celebratory cans of Disco Forklift Truck were cracked and drunk, hugs were had, vistas were squinted at and then some well deserved sleep was had!



Want to congratulate the Seven Peaks Cycling Society? Catch them on Instagram (@drygate_brewers) or pop into the Brasserie for a pint and make cycling motions at them through the panoramic glass wall while you raise a schooner in their honour.



Well done lads, we're proud of ye!

- Team Drygate

Want some of that sweet cycling gear for your own adventures?

Drygate Cycling Gear